Layton: Let me ask you about … your belief in the Common Core. There are some people who, when they hear the speech that you just gave where you were talking about standardization and common standards will help drive innovation and help us have this, the online revolution in a way that, that this part of the economy has really been untouched; that it’s important that if we have common standards, then we can really open up the online, the benefits of the online revolution in education. There are people who hear that and think, ‘That’s what he’s doing. He really wants this because he wants to encourage the technology industry because he’s the co-founder of Microsoft. It’s, it’s, he’s being driven by business interests here.’ What, how would you respond to that?

Gates: Uh, I think, you’re, you’re sticking to the political side of this thing. Uhh…

Layton: I’m from The Washington Post. We’re in Washington….

Gates: …Okay, so give me the, give me the logic here.

Layton: The logic is…

Gates: What is it that you’re saying? It’s all a lot of self-interest? It’s…

Layton: That, no, that that’s, that that’s one of the driving forces behind your embrace of the Common Core.

Gates: Meaning what?

Layton: Meaning Microsoft and Pearson just signed a deal to, to put the Common Core curriculum on the surface. So, you’ve got a product, Microsoft has a product now that it’s, that it’s selling…

Gates: Yeah, we had the old Pearson stuff. I, it, it, there’s no connection, there’s no connection to Common Core and any Microsoft thing…..

Layton: But it’s a question when people know, when people learn that you are promoting the Common Core…

Gates: Do you seriously think that the reason I like the Common Core is for some self-interested reason? That’s what you’re saying….

Layton: …. That’s kind of a pertinent question that a lot of people who, uh, who don’t know you … are wondering, and I would just like some response….

G: …. I hope I can make this clear, I believe in the Common Core because of its substance and what it will do to improve education, and that’s the only reason I believe in the Common Core. And I have no, you know, this is giving money away. This is philanthropy. This is trying to make sure students have the kind of opportunity I had. You, you’ve, there is nothing, uh, it’s so, almost… outrageous to say otherwise in my view.

Does anybody have a link to a brief explanation what the common core is about?

Or can somebody explain it very simply?

From the ever so reliable Wikipedia lol:

The Common Core State Standards Initiative is an educational initiative in the United States that details what K-12 students should know in English language arts and mathematics at the end of each grade. The initiative is sponsored by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and seeks to establish consistent educational standards across the states as well as ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to enter credit-bearing courses at two- or four-year college programs or enter the workforce.

This is actually my first time hearing about it, but it really does make sense. Prime example. I moved from southern California in the middle of my 6th grade year in school to Memphis. The things we were doing in 6th grade in California, I didn't get to until 8th grade in Memphis. I was so bored here I almost got skipped a grade. I can't remember what happened with that, but it was some bs with the school board. But there definitely needs to be some consistency across the states, because it's kind of sporadic in where students are in the same grade across all of the states.

My kids started common core last year and it is ridiculously stupid. They didn't learn half the stuff I learned at their grade level. I am extremely disappointed that schools are using this crap and fear that by the time my child graduates high school she will be utterly unprepared to work anywhere besides Walmart or McDonald's and certainly I don't feel she will be at a level acceptable for entry into college. I'm now considering home schooling her.